5 Awesome Skin Benefits of Activated Charcoal

The word is out: activated charcoal rocks! I'm sure you've heard the buzz, activated charcoal is everywhere and for good reason, too. Not just the latest skin craze, activated charcoal has been around for centuries dating back as far as times of ancient Egyptians when uses for charcoal included deodorizing and preserving the dead, or anti-bacterial and anti-fungal uses like preventing rot in wood construction in wet and moist areas. In research of Phoenician trading ships dating back to 450 BC drinking water was stored in charred wooden barrels to preserve and purify the water during long journeys. These days activated charcoal has been a major component in the skincare industry (we love this ingredient in our Detox Neem and Activated Charcoal Soap) providing these 5 amazing benefits: anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, deep pore cleansing, oil-balancing, and gentle exfoliation to the skin therefore giving the overall effect a more smooth and refined appearance. 

1. Antibacterial and Antifungal

Activated charcoal has been proven to be a major player in kicking yucky stuff to the curb. Highly effective against Escherichia coli (aka E. Coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (Staph), this ingredient also inhibits bacteria and fungus in skin and clogged pores from growing, therefore helping speed up the healing process from acne and skin disorders like eczema and psoriasis.

2. Deep Pore Cleansing

This amazing ingredient provides deep pore cleaning due to its major adsorbing properties. No, there is no typo here. Adsorbing by definition means the adhesion in an extremely thin layer of molecules (as of gases, solutes, or liquids) to the surfaces of solid bodies or liquids with which they are in contact, or in short, acts as a glue or magnet to extremely small substances and bringing them to the surface. This is why activated charcoal is so doted over by people with oily and clogged skin. By sticking itself to impurities and bringing them to the surface, detoxifying dirty skin is a breeze. 

3. Oil-Balancing

Because of it's adsorbant properties leaving skin clog-free, your pores focus less on producing oils for ridding impurities from pores. With continued use of activated charcoal, over time pores appear and become smaller therefore major oil production is no longer needed. Who wants to work overtime anyway? Definitely not your pores.

4. Gentle Exfoliation

Powdered activated charcoal is slightly gritty so it makes a really nice exfoliant! Exfoliation plays a crucial part of a healthy skin regimen because it helps get rid of the dull dead layers of skin so that new and healthier skin underneath can shine it's brightest. 

5. Smooth and Refined Appearance

With all of the benefits of activated charcoal: antibacterial, antifungal, pore-cleansing, impurity-fighting, and exfoliating, your skin gets a brand new canvas to work with. Detoxifying your skin of unwanted debris and reducing congestion means an improvement in radiance and brightness with pores looking oh so tiny. 

Find this ingredient in our Detox Neem and Activated Charcoal Soap $4-15

Sources: 

1. Antibacterial and Adsorption Characteristics of Activated Carbon Functionalized with Quaternary Ammonium Moieties https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ie0608096

2. Activated Carbon
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/activated-carbon

3. American Academy of Clinical Toxicology and European Association of Poisons Centres and Clinical Toxicologists. Position Paper: Single-Dose Activated Charcoal. Clinical Toxicology. 43:61–87. 2005. http://www.clintox.org/documents/positionpapers/SingleDoseActivatedCharcoal.pdf